An Oldie But a Goodie
by the archduke
Summary: my knockoff of It's a Wonderful Life, starring Heero
1. Default Chapter Title

  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
disclaimer: i don't own GW, but i do own Samantha.  
  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
  
The young man sat on the railing contemplating all possible outcomes. He looked  
down below him, to the raging waters, and knew what he had to do. He got to his feet, never   
swaying as he stood atop his perch. With one last look around his surroundings he   
turned back to the water, ready to step into the night, when a scream focused his attention   
away from his mission. Below him and to the right he saw a child, no more than ten years   
old, struggling in the rough water. On instinct the young man dived in towards the child,   
his former goal forgotten for the moment. He had no problem reaching the child and dragging  
the girl to safety on the banks of the river. The young man looked over the little girl   
trying to determine if there were any external injuries that had to be taken care of.   
  
All of a sudden the girl turned to the young man and gave him a self-satisfied smile.   
"I knew you would come in after me Heero. You really do have a kind heart."  
  
The young man looked at the girl with a shocked face, which quickly turned to   
suspicion. "Who are you? How do you know my name? How did you get here?"  
  
The little girl chuckled at the young man. "Slow down there Heero. Let me answer  
one question at a time. First, my name is Samantha and I'm what you can call your guardian.  
Second, I've been watching you for a very long time now Heero, and I suspect that I know you   
better than you know yourself. And third, I was sent down here because I was watching you   
trying to take your life and I just had to intervene. What sort of a guardian would I be if  
I just sat by while you made a huge mistake?"   
  
Heero sat looking at the girl, carefully trying to figure out if she hit her   
head when she went into the water or if her delusions were a prior affliction.   
  
The little girl, Samantha, once again chuckled. "I know that you don't believe me,   
Heero. You wouldn't be the Perfect Soldier if you did. I guess I'll just have to prove it   
to you."  
  
Samantha put her hand on Heero's arm, where for the first time he noticed a cut that   
he must have gotten when he went in after this strange girl. Heero's eyes widened as his   
arm began to tingle, and he was astounded when the girl lifted her hand and revealed that   
his injury was now healed.   
  
Heero sat looking at the girl. "So you're an angel?," he asked in a quiet voice.  
  
She shook her head. "No, not an angel Heero, a guardian. Angels are more like the  
special forces, dealing with the big stuff, like natural disasters and wars. Guardians are   
foot soldiers, dealing with day to day things, such as love, hate, death, all that stuff.  
We're kinda like fate, but not exactly. Understand?"  
  
He slowly knodded his head, wondering if maybe he was the one who had hit his head   
when he jumped into the river.   
  
Samantha leapt to her feet and motioned for Heero to do the same. "Now let's get   
started Heero. As I understand it, you want to end your life because you believe it's   
worthless, you have nothing to live for anymore. Am I right?"  
  
Once again Heero nodded, not sure if he should make a run for it or stay and hear   
what this girl had to say. He decided to stay, his curiousity getting the better of him.   
  
"My job, Heero," the girl continued, "is to show you that your life isn't worthless,  
it's actually quite valuable." Samantha stopped and began tapping her foot, talking more to   
herself than to Heero. "Now let me think...I guess we could do a 'past, present, future'   
sort of thing, but thats been done to death. Visiting loved ones? Nah, not my style." She   
snapped her fingers. "Got it! The classic 'never been born'! An oldie but a goodie."  
  
While she was having this internal dialoge with herself, Heero began to slowly back  
away, convinced that this girl was nuts. Just as he was about to turn and make a run for it  
Samantha was suddenly in front of him and grabbing his hand.   
  
"Come on Heero. We're going to see what life would be like if you were never born."  
  
And with that both Heero and the girl vanished into thin air.   
  



	2. An Oldie But a Goodie-ch. 2-3

  
  
  
Author's note: let's see... I guess you should know I tend to write short chapters, but they should be coming sooner because I'm almost finished school for winter holiday. I just saw "It's a Wonderful Life" this weekend and it inspired me once again.   
  
  
  
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise.  
It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
Heero slowly opened his eyes. He was on the ground on the banks of the river   
underneath the bridge, with a very sore head. He looked around for any signs of that   
strange girl. Upon finding that he was very much alone, he closed his eyes and sighed.  
He figured he must have jumped from the bridge and washed ashore, hitting his head in the   
process, which caused him to have that weird dream.   
  
"Damn," he muttered to himself, "mission failed."  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Heero. I mean I am a very formidable opponent. Really, you didn't stand a chance."  
  
Heero's eyes snapped opened at the voice. Standing in front of him, with an amused expression on her face, was the girl from his "dream". He supposed it wasn't a dream after all.  
  
Heero stood up and asked, "Where did you come from? You weren't here a second ago. And what did you do to me? My head is aching." He still didn't know who this girl was or what she wanted with him. He was trained to never trust anyone. That was suddenly turning out to be very sound advice.  
  
Samantha looked up at Heero and then tooked his arm, leading him away from the river and towards the road.   
  
"You should really be more trusting Heero. Even if I wanted too, which I don't mind you, it's not like I could harm you in any way." The girl then got a gleam in her eyes. "You aren't afraid of me Heero, are you? Because I can tell you that I'm perfectly harmless. No need to be scared." She then gave his arm a comforting pat.  
  
Heero looked down at the girl and quickly withdrew his arm from her grasp. He could tell that she was making fun of him, and no one made fun of Heero Yuy without consequences. Duo could vouch for that.  
  
"Look little girl," Heero started, but was quickly interupted with a, "It's Samantha, Heero, my name is Samantha." Upon seeing the glare he was throwing her way she quickly shut up.  
  
He stopped in his tracks and looked down at his companion. "Listen girl, I don't know why you're following me, but stop. Go back home to your parents or wherever you came from and leave me alone."  
  
Samantha suddenly broke out in a huge grin, making Heero wonder if this girl was sane or not. He was leaning towards 'or not'.  
  
"We're here Heero."   
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =   
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise.  
It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
They were standing in front of a military base which Heero had never seen before. That in itself was peculiar because he didn't remember there being a base in this neighborhood. Even stranger was that this was an active base, with mobile suits wandering freely about, some even engaging in military manuevers. He immediately grabbed Samantha and hid behind some bushes that were nearby.  
  
"Heero, what are you doing. Let me go," Samantha yelled as he settled them within the foliage.   
  
Heero clamped his hand over her mouth, silencing her. "Be quiet," he admonished in a whisper. As the girl was trying to struggle out of his grasp he looked over at the base. He surmised it was some sort of militia group, preparing for an upcoming battle. He was surprised that they were training out in the open like they were. Preventors' satellites would have immediately picked up the activity and intervened. Obviously someone was asleep at the switch. He would have to talk to Lady Une and Relena about this once he got back.   
  
He suddenly felt a sharp pain in the hand covering Samantha's mouth and instinctivly withdrew it. "Finally," she panted. "What were you trying to do Heero, suffocate me or something? Geez," she saw him move to repeat the action and quickly moved out of his grasp.  
  
"This isn't some rebel group Heero," she said, seeming to read his mind. "This is the base for the 5th Region OZ Army, led by General Chang Wufei." Upon seeing his confused expression, which he seemed to wear a lot lately, she continued.  
  
"Remember what I said before Heero? We're seeing what life would be like if you never existed. The world is a whole different place than what you're used to. In this world, OZ succeeded in toppling the government, making Treize Khushrenada the Supreme Ruler of the Earth. Once conquering Earth, Treize had little trouble with the colonies, treating them as second class citizens inferior to the Earth. Not that the Earth was in such great shape. Treize and OZ lead with an iron fist, suppressing even the slightest threat to their rule. Free speech and freedom of the press are non-existent, and people are jailed for even suggesting that a new government should be placed into power. It's really a sad state Heero. All because you weren't born."  
  
"How can this be? Relena wouldn't let anything like this happen?"  
  
"Relena is different in this world, Heero. Just like all your other friends. By not meeting you their lives went down a different path, a path which dosen't lead to pacifism." At his questioning gaze she continued. "You'll see what I mean. We'll see all your friends and how they now live their lives. First up is Wufei."  
  
  
  



	3. An Oldie But a Goodie-ch. 4-5

  
  
Okay, let's see...I'm hoping to finish this soon, hopefully by Christmas. One longish and one shortish chapter, you can thank my short attention span for.   
  
  
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
  
  
The general strolled by the lines of men in military formation, pleased by the overall professionalism displayed. There was no restlessness, no figeting among any of his soldiers. They were well trained, ready to fight when needed. These men were as close to perfect as possible, and no one in the OZ military would have expected any less from Chang Wufei.  
  
As Wufei continued to inspect his soldiers, he began thinking about how he came into such a position of high esteem and power. He went from a misguided youth blinded by the treacherous colonies to one of the most respected and feared leaders of OZ. He was one of the four Gundam pilots, brainwashed into fighting for the colonies and against Treize Khushrenada. However, once he actually met the man he was supposed to destroy, he realized that he was living in the dark, with Treize showing him the path towards the light. He abandoned Operation Meteor and used his Gundam to defend OZ. The colonies quickly fell, with Wufei riding Treize's coattails all the way to the top.  
  
  
  
  
Heero was sick and tired of this girl. First she interupts his suicide, then she takes him to some strange military base talking about OZ ruling the world, and now she is saying something about Wufei. How in the world does she know Wufei anyway? It didn't seem as if they both travelled in the same social circles.  
  
He was about to tell her once again to leave him alone when out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a familiar head of hair. He looked to his left, and sure enough, not more than forty yards away, stood Wufei. Heero saw him walking among some soldiers, looking as if he were inspecting them. It seemed the Preventers did know about this place, putting Wufei in undercover. Heero wondered briefly why they would use a high profile Preventor such as Wufei, but quickly brushed his doubts aside. It looked like he was playing his part well, and as long as he got the mission accomplished nothing else mattered.   
  
  
  
  
"Yes sir, everything is coming along well. The last batch of recruits may be our best yet."  
  
There was a chuckle coming from the vidphone. "How long have we known each other Wufei? And you still insist on calling me 'sir'? You know I consider you more of a friend than just another soldier."  
  
"I feel the same way, sir. But you know my upbringing. It wouldn't allow any less than total respect from myself towards my commander." Wufei always had this particular conversation with Treize. They were friends, but first and formost they were soldiers. He never let himself forget that.   
  
Changing the subject, Wufei said, "How is your wife, sir? It has been ages since I have last seen her."  
  
"What can I say about my wife? Still the cold hearted bitch I married." Treize laughed a bit, with Wufei joining in, before he sobered. "I'm glad these new recruits show such promise. I'm thinking of sending them to L1 to squelch an uprising there. A few hundered deaths should show the colonies who is in charge here."  
  
Wufei nodded. "I'll begin training them for special operations then. They should be ready within the next two weeks. Will that be soon enough?"  
  
Treize waved his hand in a dismissive nature. "Fine, fine I trust your judgement Wufei. I will call again at the end of this week to see what your progress is. Long live OZ."  
  
Wufei responded with a "Long live Treize" and then the connection was terminated. Wufei stood up, stretching, thinking over the training that had to begin in the morning, when a voice suddenly broke through his thoughts.  
  
"Who were you talking to just then? If I hadn't seen you kill Treize yourself I would have sworn that it was him."  
  
Wufei turned around with such speed that Heero only saw the gun after its sights had been settled at his head.  
  
"Who are you? Who sent you? I hope you're prepared to die for whoever you work for."   
  
"Stop playing your role and update me on the situation. I know I'm not a Preventer, but you know damn well that I can be of much use."  
  
Wufei's gaze never left Heero, and a sudden feeling in the pit of Heero's stomach made him think that maybe Wufei wasn't just totally immersed in his character. Wufei really looked as if he were going to kill Heero at any moment.  
  
"I have no idea what you are talking about, but we at OZ have ways to make you talk. Guards!" Suddenly three soldiers ran into the office, with guns raised and ready. "Take this person and see what you can get out of him. By any means necessary." Wufei said this last part with such menace that Heero knew he was in trouble.   
  
"Wufei, what are you doing?" Heero yelled as the guards descended upon him. He quickly dispatched them, and as he was turning back around, he felt pain enter his back and come out of his chest. He looked down at himself and saw that an exit wound was slowly draining the blood out of him. As he slumped to the ground, he idly thought that an exit would also signify an entrance wound.   
  
Heero lay on the ground, knowing he was dying, when he saw two pairs of boots in front of his face. He struggled to turn himself over, when a kick to his stomach stopped him. A face came into his view and he immediately knew who it was.  
  
"Sh-shooting a...a person...i-in the b-back," he paused to take a breath while the other person patiently waited, "is dishonorable."  
  
Wufei shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Who cares?"  
  
  
=======================================================================  
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
Heero woke up with a start. He looked wildly around at his surroundings while putting a hand up to his chest expecting to find his own blood staining his shirt. When he found himself on the banks of the river where he tried to kill himself and no bullet wound in his body he breathed a sigh of relief.   
  
"All a dream," he whispered out loud, "just all a dream." He stood up, thinking that when he had jumped from the bridge he must have been knocked unconscious and then washed up on the shore, his injury providing the stimuls for that weird dream where Wufei shot him in the back. As Heero was starting to make his way back to the road, he heard someone, a very familiar someone, call out his name.  
  
"So how was it Heero? How did you like the way Wufei turned out?" There stood Samantha, with her hands behind her back and waiting for Heero to respond.   
  
"YOU!" Heero yelled while pointing at the girl. "What did you do to me?"  
  
As Heero furiously made his way over to Samantha, she slowly backed away, knowing that he was pissed off big time. She looked around for something to defend herself with, when a thick branch caught her eye. She ran towards it, with Heero still advancing towards her, grabbed the makeshift club, and swung it behind her, trying to scare the young man away. As the branch made contact with something, she realized that Heero was closer than she had thought.   
  
Samantha stared at the unmoving form on the ground and winced. "Well, that's one way to proceed onto Trowa."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. An Oldie But a Goodie-ch. 6-7

  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie""An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
WARNING: two deaths in the next chapters, with some language, and you might not like how I made Quatre. Just remember: would Heero learn anything if everyone was better off had he never been born? I think not.   
  
Chapter 6  
  
  
He found himself sitting on bleachers underneath a gigantic tent. Looking down at his clothes he found that he was now wearing a suit and tie, very out of place in the casual atmoshphere. He knew immediately what had happened.  
  
"That stupid girl", Heero growled underneath his breath. "When I find her again, I'm going to-"  
  
His thoughts were cut off when the light suddenly dimmed and the center ring was bathed in light. A young man and a young woman walked into the light, followed by two full grown male lions. The lions seemed to favor the young man, flanking him on either sides. Heero knew right away who the young man was, but he didn't recongnize the young woman.  
  
"Well, it looks like Trowa's life wouldn't be much different. He's probably happier now." Heero had by now caught on to the entire situation, deciding that Samantha had drugged him with something, and that it would be better to go with the hallucinations than to fight them. The encounter with Wufei showed him that.  
  
As Heero settled in, waiting to wake up from this drugged induced dream, he became curious at what was happening down below. Instead of the knife act that he had expected to see, there were all kinds of hoops and pedestals and beams all over the ring. "Must be an animal act," he whispered to himself.  
  
A tug at his sleeve brought his attention down to a little boy next to him.  
  
"Hey mister, you ever seen this act before?" When Heero shook his head 'no', the boy suddenly bounded to his feet excited.  
  
"Boy, you are in for a real treat, mister. They say that that guy used to be his Excellency Treize's personal jester. He is the best. Wait till you see what he does with the lions. It'll blow your mind."   
  
The little boy sat down and started conversing with his friend behind him, leaving Heero with his thoughts.  
  
"Again, a connection with Treize. Do all of the Gundam pilots have such a connection? I'll have to go speak to Trowa after his act."  
  
  
  
  
Trowa stood in the spotlight waiting for his assistant to introduce him. His thoughts strayed to the past, as they always did right before he began a show.   
  
He remembered the girl that had taught him everything he knows about entertaining. He had started out as a target for her knife throwing act, and in time he had developed his own act. He also remembered how foolish he was fighting in that war so long ago. A stupid boy in a machine, even if it was a Gudam, could never beat an entire army of mobile suits. He had learned that quickly, with Catherine showing him the error of his ways, talking him out of continuing with the hopeless battle. When she had been killed in the war, by one of the other Gundam pilots no less, he gave up being a soldier, and took off on his own. It was purely by chance he had happened upon that military base, and found that the soldiers appreciated someone who could make them laugh. His act got so popular in the military that he was sent to show it to Treize himself. Treize was so impressed that he got Trowa this job in the largest circus on earth. That man truly was a saint.  
  
However, Trowa's life was far from perfect. Sure, he was famous all over the world, but he was unhappy. More than unhappy, he was miserable. No family, no friends, nothing but his work. What did he have to live for?  
  
  
  
  
Heero had been impressed by Trowa's act. It involved him interacting with the lions in seemingly dangerous ways. He especially liked it when Trowa had put his head into one of the lions mouth, then having it bite down lightly on his neck. He had to admit his breath caught in his throat when he saw the animal slowly closing its mouth over Trowa's head.   
  
Heero was now roaming around the backstage area, his suit making him look like some sort of businessman who wanted to learn more about the circus. Many thought he was a potential investor and treated him with respect, answering any questions he had about Trowa's whereabouts.   
  
He found Trowa some distance away from the circus tent sitting down on a boulder, seemingly staring into space. Heero was walking towards him when he saw Trowa bring something up to his chest. When Heero realized that it was a gun, he began running, yelling for Trowa to stop.  
  
About ten yards away he heard the shot. He ran ahead and caught Trowa just as he was about to fall over the boulder. Amazingly, Trowa wasn't dead. He was even conscious, with Heero trying to keep him awake.  
  
"Trowa, talk to me, why did you do this? Damn it, talk to me Trowa!"  
  
Trowa's eyes focused on Heero, wondering who this man was and how did he know his name? "Who are are?", he whispered.  
  
"Just a friend, Trowa, just a friend. Come on, stay awake, stay awake." Heero was now yelling towards the circus tent, hoping that someone would hear him and call an ambulance.  
  
His attention turned back to Trowa as he heard his friend trying to speak.  
  
"Can I tell you something, stranger?" At Heero's nod, Trowa continued. "I didn't really want to die. I was sad, but the desire to die was in my head, not my heart. Too bad I didn't follow my heart. But I didn't know how to. I didn't know I should have followed my emotions." And with those words, Trowa closed his eyes for the final time.  
  
  
=======================================================================  
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie""An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
Heero recognized the place he was in now. It was one of the Winner mining satellites, in the mechanical area to be exact. He remembered when Quatre had taken all of the pilots on a tour shortly after the war with Mariemaia. Instead of wearing the suit he had on when he was at the circus with Trowa, Heero now had on a mechanics jumpsuit, with grease all over his clothes.  
  
"Winner satellite must mean I'm here to see Quatre. After Wufei and Trowa it'll be nice to see a friendly face. Out of all of the pilots, Quatre would be the most unchanged. He is just too kind." Heero hoped that what he was thinking was indeed the truth.  
  
With the loud grinding and humming of the large machines preventing him from asking anyone questions pertaining to Quatre, Heero slowly made his way around the area, looking for anything that might inform him of his friend's location. A scream coming from one of the catwalks high above caught Heero's attention, and he was shocked at what he found.  
  
"You stupid girl! How dare you!" There was the unmistakeable sound of a slap and the girl screamed out in pain once more. Heero did not know who the girl was, but he recognized the one doing the slapping. The once pacifistic Quatre Winner was slapping an unarmed girl around.  
  
"I told you never to go into my study! You stupid whore!" He grabbed the frightened girl by the collar and threw her over the catwalk, her screams only silenced once she hit the ground. Heero stared at the body on the ground, and then up at Quatre. The blonde was smiling menacingly, with a look of pleasure on his face.   
  
He turned around and said to a person that Heero could not see, "Go find me another whore. I broke this one." Quatre laughed a cold laugh, then pointed to the body. "And have someone clean this up. It might stain the floor."  
  
  
  
"Jesus, that man gets colder and colder each day. That's the third girl in the past two weeks that he's killed. No wonder even Treize is afraid of him."   
  
Heero paid close attention to the conversation that was taking place between two workers. He had to find out more about Quatre.  
  
"Got that right. I thought that living in the only place not controlled by OZ would be great, thinking that the stories about Mr. Winner couldn't be true. They were just too gruesome to beleive. Now give me OZ anyday over this hell."  
  
"If we could leave I would board the first shuttle out of here," the first man said. "But Mr. Winner prevents any person from leaving here. And with no communication to the outside, we're trapped like rats."  
  
A third man entered the conversation, and Heero recognized him as Quatre's servant Rasheed. "Master Quatre wasn't always like this, you know. It was that damn war that made him crazy. After his father died, his mind just stopped its normal functioning, and that damn Zero system on his Gundam didn't help it any. He went from the kind boy I helped raise, to this killing machine we know now." There was a moment of silence before Rasheed continued. "I just wish someone had helped him before he had gone completely over the edge. But there was no one."  
  
Heero hung his head in shame and felt as if he were going to throw up. Wufei and Trowa, he could deal with, they chose the paths they ended up on, but Quatre, it wasn't fair. Insanity had robbed him of his kindness, his compassion, the very elements that made Quatre the person he was. He didn't have a choice in the matter, it was something beyond his control that had led him here, led him to become a tyrant and a murderer.   
  
  
  
  
When Heero lifted his head he was no longer on the Winner mining satellite, but back on the banks of that river once more. Samantha was staring up at him, with an understanding look on her face.  
  
"It's hard, isn't it Heero? You thought that your life was worthless, but just look at how your friends would turn out. You made a difference in their lives, never forget that. You are important Heero, so very, very important."  
  
Samantha stared at Heero, and she could tell by his eyes that he was not yet convinced. She sighed, then said, "You still have some more people to see, Heero, so you can fully grasp just how much you mean to your friends. We aren't done yet."  
  
  
  
I also want to say that it's going to get darker, I have some plans for the upcoming chapters. Toodles!  



	5. An Oldie But a Goodie-ch. 8

  
  
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie""An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
  
The smell was the first thing that Heero noticed. That cold, disinfectant smell, the kind that was only found in hospitals. The smell that he always associated with death.  
  
Heero looked around and he found that he was indeed in a hospital. Dressed as an orderly, no one questioned what he was doing there, just standing in the middle of the hall.  
  
"Let's see", he thought to himself. "There are only a few more people that I could be looking for. I've already seen Wufei, Trowa, and Quatre, so that leaves Duo, Zechs and," he paused before he went on. "Relena." Just the thought of that one name always made his insides feel as if they were dissolving, and this situation wasn't any different. That girl had some kind of a hold on him, and no matter how hard he tried, he could never escape from it. Composing himself, he went in search of a familiar face, hoping that it wasn't a particular pacifist princess.  
  
  
  
  
"Get away from me! I know you're stealing my stuff, so get the hell out of here! Just because I can't see dosen't mean I can't beat your ass!" There was the rapid sound of footsteps as the nurse ran from the room. She was in such a hurry that she didn't see Heero and ran right into him.  
  
"Oh, excuse me. That patient," she said pointing to the room she just vacated, "is once again yelling about his belongings being stolen. Crazy old coot," she muttered as she made her way to the next patient.  
  
Something told Heero that he found the room he was looking for. He went to the door and looked at the chart on the front of it. He read the name and sighed. Sure enough, the room's occupant was one Duo Maxwell.   
  
Heero quickly scaned over the chart, making mental notes of why Duo was in the hospital. Duo was blind and paralyzed from the waist down, as well as suffering from a severe case of post traumatic stress syndrome, such a severe case that he had to be confined to this hospital. Heero steeled himself to enter the room and see for himself just how bad his friend was.  
  
  
  
  
"Who's there? Identify yourself before I kill you with my bare hands." Duo's greeting was less than the friendly acknowledgement Heero was used to, but he persevered and sat himself in a chair beside Duo's bed.   
  
"Hello Duo. My name is Heero, and I just want to talk to you."  
  
"Just want to talk, huh. Well then start talking, and don't even think about making a move. I was a soldier, so I'm not reluctant to kill you if need be."  
  
Heero saw his opening and took it. "You were a soldier? So was I."  
  
At this remark Duo seemed to lighten a bit. "A fellow soldier? Well, why didn't you say so in the first place. You fought in the Great War?"  
  
Heero nodded, and then remembered that Duo couldn't see him. "Yes, I fought for the colonies."  
  
Duo lightened even more. "A colonist! Boy, am I glad to see you. I've been stuck around all these Ozzies for such a long time now it's good to talk to a fellow colonist. Hey, did you ever hear of the Gundams?"  
  
"Yes. I heard that they were piloted by the greatest soldiers in the world." Heero knew exactly where Duo was going and decided to make the trip a bit easier for his friend.  
  
"Damn straight they were! And you know who one of those pilots were?" Duo didn't even wait for Heero to answer. "Me! I was one of the original Gundam pilots, the only one who bothered to finish the war." He said this last part with bitterness.  
  
Heero couldn't stop himself from asking the next question. "What happened?"  
  
Duo's fairly good mood vanished in an instant. "Treize and OZ happened. After the other Gundam pilots gave up, I was the only one left to fight for the colonies. I was good, but I wasn't that good. There were just so many of them, so many, and they kept coming, even after I went down, they kept on coming, and coming, and coming."  
  
Heero could tell that Duo was now in a world of his own, reliving whatever hell he had been through.   
  
"They just kept on coming, never stopping, never slowing, going full blast everytime, always coming, always coming."  
  
As Heero sat there, looking at his friend slipping further and further into his memories,feeling the need to weep begin to well up inside of him.  
  
  
  
  
Heero turned around when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked down and there was Samantha, with a forelorn expression on her face.   
  
"I know it's hard Heero, but there is just one more person to see. I think you know who it is."  
  
Heero did know, and he was afraid of what he would find.  
  
"Relena."  
  
  
Almost done. I've got some good ideas what to make Relena, and I can tell you it won't be pretty. I think it will be safe to say that Relena's life will be the most messed up. I just can't wait to write it! 


	6. An Oldie But a Goodie-ch. 9

  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie""An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
Just to let you know, this installment in chock full o' HY/RPness! Also, I made Relena more sympathetic than I meant to, but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.  
  
  
  
Chapter 9  
  
  
A soldier. Now he was a soldier. Heero was in a uniform, again on a military base, but not the same one where he had met Wufei. Just by standing there in the hallway, Heero could tell that this was not like any military base he had been on before.  
  
This base was grand. The hallway he was in had elegant paintings adorning the walls, obviously very expensive. The floor was marble, not concrete as found in most military bases. In fact, a person wouldn't even know that they were in a military base if it wasn't for the numerous soldiers that walked by and the bars on the windows. This base was meant to convey wealth and grandure, proably serving as OZ's main base.  
  
Heero decided to start walking, because sooner or later it would seem strange for a soldier to be standing in the middle of a hallway for no reason. He decided to go left, in search of the person he had come to see.  
  
As Heero entered what he assumed was the mess hall, he was surprised to see some other soldiers waving him over. He hesitantly moved towards them, hoping that his cover had not been blown.  
  
"Hey, how you doin'? You new here?" At Heero's nod the man continued. "Well then, have a seat. You get your 'official' welcome yet?"  
  
All of the other men sitting at the table snickered, while Heero continued staring at the man who had spoken.  
  
"Not a talker, huh? That's okay, as a new guy I'll give you a break. Ya see, the commander's wife gives a special 'welcome' to every new soldier that's stationed on her security detail. You know, a private, personal welcome, just the two of you in her bedroom. And by the looks of your uniform, you are one of the chosen, if you get what I mean," the man said, giving Heero a wink and a smile.  
  
Heero didn't give a damn that Lady Une was a slut. He ignored the laughs that were coming from the other men and addressed the man who had spoken to him.  
  
"Do you know anybody here, a woman maybe, who talks about peace? Maybe a pacifist, or someone who dosen't believe in fighting?"  
  
"Didn't you just hear what I said? All you have to do is go to the commander's wife's room and you are guaranteed a sure thing!" At Heero's unresponsive face the man shrugged. "Yeah, I know who you're talking about. Some lady in 5th comany always goes on and on about not fighting and living in peace and all that crap. I would have thought that the commander would have had her killed by now, but the rumor is that she used to be someone important. I dunno, she's just some crazy broad."  
  
Heero immediately left, going in seach of the 5th company.  
  
  
  
  
"I'm telling you, peace is the answer! We must not fight, but try to talk with the colonies, try to include them in the OZ government. Fighting will only lead to more bloodshed and deaths!"  
  
The woman was currently talking to anyone who would listen, which at the moment included one man who was half-asleep and a stray dog. She looked up when a new person entered the recreation room.  
  
"Hello, welcome!", she said looking right at the new arrival. The man just looked back at her, a surprised expression on his face. "Have you come to hear about peace. I was just saying that if we continue fighting then there will be more deaths, and that we should try to negotiate with the colonies instead of trying to bully them with force. What do you think, soldier?"  
  
Before the man was able to answer, another person came into the room. He turned to the man who had entered just before him and said, "Are you the new recruit on the commmander's wife's security detail?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good, the commander's wife wants to see you. She wants to give you your welcome." The man said this last part with a slight smirk.  
  
The first man nodded, and made a move to follow the second man.  
  
The woman stopped him. "By the way soldier, what's your name?"  
  
The first man replied without turning around. "Heero."  
  
"Nice to meet you Heero. I'm Lady Une. I hope we can talk again later." And with that Heero left, while Lady Une continued with her speech.  
  
  
  
  
The commander's wife was feeling giddy, just like she did when she started this little ritual of her's. It had begun as a way to get back at her husband for forcing her into this loveless marriage. Then gradually, when he didn't confront her even though everyone knew what was going on, she did it for the companionship, for the human contact. She knew what everyone called her, and she didn't give a shit. Whore, slut, whatever they called her she didn't care. She got what she wanted and the men were happy, so what did it matter?  
  
She still remembered when she was forced into marrying Treize. She was only sixteen to his twenty-five, and it was right after he had won the war. It was actually his second in command, the now deceased Zechs Merquise, who had made the match. She supposed that he had heard of her through her father, the once foreign minister, who had been killed along with her mother when they were visiting the colonies. She was pretty, young, and rich, a perfect match for the commander.   
  
The day her parents were killed was the day she stopped caring. It was the beginning of the war, and she just ignored all that was happening, going to balls and having brunches with her friends, oblivious to the death and destruction going on outside her ivory tower.  
  
When she had been approached with the marriage proposal she had been flattered at first. The most powerful man in the universe wanted her to be his wife, and she would be an idiot to turn it down. They were married two months after the war, a grand event that was broadcast all over the world. She was viewed as the luckiest girl on earth.  
  
She knew from the beginning that it would be a loveless marriage. She was Treize's trophy, and she played the part well. She began 'greeting' the new recruits about a year after the marriage, something to keep her busy while she waited for Treize to require her presence at another ball or banquet. She had been doing this for so long that she couldn't even remember the faces anymore, they all blended together into one indistinct memory. By her own estimates there had been over 150, probably closer to 200, and she had long ago ceased to become excited about it. Now it was just like any other chore, something to get done quickly and efficiently.  
  
But this time was different. She had heard that this latest recruit was not like all the others, quiet and not at all interested in her. This was a refreshing change from the ones who would come in practically drooling and falling all over themselves. She had also heard that this one was quiet handsome, another bonus.  
  
  
  
  
Heero followed the man who had come to get him, still confused about the incident that had just taken place. Wasn't Lady Une married to Treize? If she wasn't, then who the hell was he being led to at the moment?  
  
They stopped outside a door where two guards were stationed, both nodding their acknowledgement. The soldier who had led him here stepped out of the way and motioned for Heero to continue through the door. When Heero hesitated the man gave him a little nudge, and whispered, "Don't be nervous. I've heard she's gentle with new meat." The man chucked as he opened the door for Heero and pushed him inside.   
  
Heero looked around the room, a bit nervous about the whole situation. Did they really expect him to have sex with Treize's wife?  
  
"Hello." The voice brought his attention to the shadowed bed, where he noticed for the first time a person lying on it. The person, a woman, stood up and stepped into the light.  
  
"Relena?!"   
  
The woman smiled and walked over to Heero. "I see you've heard of me. I've heard of you too." Her eyes trailed over his body slowly, running her hands over his chest while he just stood there, shocked. "And I must say, I am not disappointed." She was going to enjoy this one.  
  
Relena grabbed a handful of Heero's hair and brought him down for a kiss. Her mouth came over his, her other hand moving underneath his shirt to feel his skin. She pulled back after a few seconds and looked up to meet his wide eyes.  
  
"What's the matter, a bit shy? Don't be," she said while she trailed her fingers over his lips. She ripped open his shirt, revealing his chest and smiled. "Very nice," she whispered while she brought him down for another kiss.  
  
Heero was still dazed after finding Relena in the room where Treize's wife was supposed to be. As she ripped open his shirt and began kissing him again he thought over the situation in which he currently found himself in.   
  
"I'm supposed to have sex with the person in this room, who also happens to be Treize's wife. Relena is the only person in the room. Therefore, Relena is married to Treize, and I am supposed to have sex with her. Good, I finally got it all straight." As Heero was thinking all of this, Relena was leading him over to the bed, trying to take off his pants. Once Heero felt himself laying on the soft bed, with Relena on top of him pulling his pants off, he finally snapped back into reality.  
  
"Relena, what are you doing!" he practically yelled as he manuevered himself out from under her.   
  
"Come back here and I'll show you exactly what I'm doing", she replied.   
  
"Relena, what happened to you? You never do stuff like this."  
  
At this Relena got up off the bed. "First of all, you don't know me so you have no right to judge me. Second, how dare you speak to me in that way? You will treat me with the respect I deserve. And third, shut up and get back on that bed!" With that she grabbed his arm, trying to drag him towards the bed.  
  
Heero resisted her and made to leave the room when he heard sobbing.  
  
  
  
  
No one had turned Relena down before. Every single man she had wanted she had gotten, and with very little effort on her part. But his man was rejecting her, and she couldn't take it. All of the years living like this, without loving and being loved, caught up with her, with the rejection serving as the spark that lit the explosion.  
  
She slumped down on the floor next to the bed, burying her face in her hands, mildly surprised that she was actually capable of crying. She thought that her heart had grown too cold to shed tears a long time ago.  
  
Relena felt arms come around her, and she pushed against the body that the arms belonged to. She knew that is was the soldier who had rejected her and she didn't need his pity.  
  
Heero ignored her protests and kept on holding her, somehow knowing that it wasn't sex she needed but a hug, just a simple hug.  
  
Relena began to relax and leaned into Heero's embrace, realizing that there was use in fighting.  
  
After awhile Heero heard Relena's sobs begin to lessen and then stop. He looked down at her and saw that she still had her head on his chest.   
  
"I wish it could have been different soldier, I wish I had been different. Maybe if I had been stronger during the war I wouldn't be where I am today, alone and miserable. But I didn't have any hope, everyone I loved was dead. If I just had something to hope for, anything at all, a person, an idea, something, it would have been different. I just know it. All I needed was hope."  
  
Heero thought about the Relena he knew, all the encounters that they had had during the war. He realized that he had been her hope, a hope that there would be life after war. She chased him to keep herself sane, reminding herself to keep on going and fight for tomorrow, because maybe that would be the day she would finally catch him.   
  
As he held Relena in his arms he knew that she was his hope too. She represented everything he fought for, for peace and for the people who couldn't fight. He would have been dead long ago if it wasn't for her.  
  
Relena looked up at Heero and put her hand to his cheek, while he smoothed back the hair that had fallen into her face.   
  
"Why couldn't I have known you during the war?"  
  
  
=======================================================================  
  
  
"An Oldie But a Goodie""An Oldie But a Goodie"  
by: the archduke  
  
disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".  
  
  
Chapter 10: The End  
  
  
Heero was on the bridge overlooking the now very familiar river. He was alone, no Samantha, no other person there with him. He looked down and saw that he was once again wearing his own clothes. He quickly ran down the road, heading as fast as he could to Preventer's Headquarters.  
  
  
  
  
Once he got to Preventer's Headquarters Heero went straight to the group of offices that held his friends and fellow pilots. He rushed into Wufei's office without knocking and when he heard the "Injustice!" he knew that Wufei was back to normal.  
  
Next was Trowa's office, where the former circus performer was doing some paperwork. When Heero burst through, the occupant looked up surprised, but pleased. His pleased expression quickly disappeared.  
  
"You're an idiot who thinks he has an answer for everything, always butting your nose into other people's business. And you pilot a Gundam like an OZ soldier."  
  
Trowa stood up out of his chair, made his way around his desk and walked towards Heero. He then proceeded to punch the offender right in his face.  
  
Heero merely smiled and said, "Glad to see you're following your emotions." And with that Heero left, leaving a confused Trowa behind.  
  
Quatre was surprised when Heero unexpectantly entered his office. "Heero, are you all right? I haven't seen you for so long. Do you need any help? Come and sit down. Can I get you some tea?"  
  
Heero gave a Quatre a slap on the back and said, "I'm fine Quatre. Just came for a little visit."   
  
"Well you're welcome back anytime Heero. Sure I can't get you anything?"  
  
"No thanks. I'll see you later though."  
  
Heero then went in seach of Duo, heading for the cafeteria instead of his friend's office.  
  
Sure enough, Duo was in the cafeteria, settling himself down for some lunch. Just as he was about to take a bite out of his sandwich he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he turned around he did not expect to see who he saw.   
  
"Heero!? What are you doing here?"  
  
"How have you been Duo?"  
  
"Uh, fine, just fine. And you?" Duo didn't know what to make of the situation.   
  
"I'm doing better. Have you seen Relena lately?"  
  
Dou grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. "I get it now. Finally come to your senses I see."   
  
Heero chuckled and nodded. "Yes I have. Have you seen her?"  
  
"Yup, she's currently at a conference one floor up. I guess today's your lucky day."  
  
"You can say that again Duo."  
  
  
  
  
"Gentlemen, I do believe we can reach an agreement regarding trade between colonies L2 and L4. I am very pleased that the governments of the colonies came to ESUN for help on this matter." Relena paused to give a smile to the different delegates around the table. "It is my-" She was cut off by commotion coming from outside.  
  
"Please excuse me." As the host of the conference it was her job to make sure it ran smoothly, and that included keeping the atmosphere quiet and free of disruptions.  
  
As soon as she had opened the door she saw the person who had been making all of the noise. It was Heero Yuy, and it seemed as if he were trying to pass by the guards in order to enter the conference room.  
  
  
  
  
When the conference room door opened Heero turned away from the guards and looked at her. She was dressed in her Vice-Foreign Minister outfit, with her hair held loosely behind her neck.   
  
"Heero!?"  
  
When the guards saw that the Minister knew this person they let him pass, relief showing itself on their faces.  
  
Heero walked up to Relena and engulfed her in a hug, feeling her body tense up in surprise. This just made him hold her tighter, until she relaxed and hugged him back.  
  
"It's good to see you again Relena."   
  
"It's good to see you too Heero. But what are you doing here?"  
  
He pulled back from her and looked at her confused face. "I missed you."   
  
She brought her hand up and pushed his bangs out of his face, oblivious to the crowd that they were attracting.   
  
"It's about time."  
  
They met in a kiss, one filled with hope and promises.  
  
  



End file.
